St Marks Pl, East Village

If you want to experience the goth scene in New York City, St. Marks Place is a must. Buy some exotic leatherwear, get something pierced, get a tattoo, and then recover in one of the local bars. There are many sidewalk retailers selling jewelry sunglasses, and other trinkets. Before you leave, you must have a bite to eat at the automat! Walk up to any of the cubby holes, drop in a few coins and have a fun bite to eat any time of the day or night. I would highly recommend the macaroni and cheese croquettes!

8th St becomes Saint Marks Place for only three blocks (between 3rd and A), but those three blocks are a popular destination due to the history of the area, even if the area is pretty different these days. There are currently many Japanese shops and restaurants. With the help of some Internet research, you can walk the street and see some famous locations – I always get a kick out of seeing the buildings from Led Zeppelin’s “Physical Graffiti” (at 96-98 St Marks).

I hang out around Saint Marks when I just want a laid back time with friends. There's a lot of small eatery, tattoo and piercing parlors, and street vendors. It tends to have a more youthful vibe but you will find people of all ages walking around.

Like a strange mix of Canal St and Union Square, St. Marks blends an array of shops and bodegas selling items for dirt cheap with the NYU aesthetic that so dominates this part of town. Expect to see attractive young people (and more than a few intimidating young people) checking out the well-priced eats, the nightlife and the classes (yoga is available on this street).

I can't say I'm nostalgic for the days when St. Marks Place was overrun by barely-pubescent punks begging for change, probably so they could buy themselves more hair dye. Nor for the freaks and geeks atmosphere of walking down this particular little stretch of the city, and the high likelihood of getting in a long, rambling conversation with someone with bloodshot eyes and a slur. Nor for the reports of unspeakable deeds being committed at St. Mark's Hotel, though I can't vouch for the accuracy of such reports. Nevertheless, St. Marks had a very specific identity which seems to have disappeared overnight. Apparently, the Japanese have taken over St. Marks, and with a vengeance. You have your udon joints and your sushi joints, and your Japanese dessert joints, with tasty edible things in an assortment of pastel colors. You have your specialty Japanese grocery open all night and all kinds of knick-knacks and tourist kitsch for sale in stalls. You can buy bongs by the dozen and stock up on pot-leaf T-shirts. How did this all happen and why? One of those mysteries of urban development, I guess, though I'm not feeling entirely enthusiastic about it. Maybe I just need more time to get used to this much good sushi. A bit further on you can find the Yaffa Cafe, “Open all nite 7 days a week,” a place whose décor I can only describe as East Village gothic.

The amount of shops in New York City is unreal but sometimes you want something a little bit cheaper or perhaps something that is a little harder to find. If this is the case, St Marks Place is the place to be as no matter what you want, there is likely to be a vendor in the area that will have you want and can provide it for a reasonable price.

St Marks Place runs from Astor Place to Tompkins Square Park. If possible, I try to avoid walking along that street. Famous for its punk and alternative culture, today it mostly attracts tourists and teenagers in search of a thrilling experience. At any rate, just around the corner there is a really good bookshop that offers a wide range of books. This is a good reason to go to that area.

I love St Mark’s Place – if you’re looking for affordable clothing, food, or just people watching in general, this is a great place to come, and it’s virtually always busy, especially on weekends. St. Marks is packed with vintage t-shirt stores and cheap sunglasses on sale from street vendors. The street is populated with fast-food style restaurants. I would probably never want to live here (though I did live in the vicinity, a few blocks away, and was never bothered by the chaos).

If you’re looking for any of the new fad-type Japanese eateries, or the Pinkberry style yogurt shops, then St.Marks Place is, unfortunately, the place to go. St. Marks’ used to be known for its punk bohemian crowd and thus used to cater to the more artsy characters in the City. It is now wall to wall Canal street style stalls where you can buy anything from Jewelry to DVDs to smoking accessories. Luckily, St. Mark’s still has a fun vibe, so it’s definitely a neat place to pass through, even if it has lost some if its charm. Some good eateries still there include Mamoun’s Falafel, a few choice Japanese bars, and Pomme Frittes not too far away.

Sure, St. Marks Place is no longer the real hangout of punk abandon, the kids with the funny hair are most likely uptown refugees, and hipsters and models outnumber the junkies in Tompkins Square park, but I still have a place in my heart for these few seedy blocks between Astor Place and Tompkins Square Park. A number of things have changed the place, from NYU's encroachment along nearby streets to the meteoric rise of the housing market, but there are still a few things anchoring the neighborhood. One of them has to be proliferation of nearby cheap, excellent Japanese food, from the smokey yakitori (grilled meats and vegetables on skewers) places to discount sushi to the dark, cave-like sake bars (check out Angelshare and Decibel around the corner). These places are nestled at the western end of St Marks, near Astor Place.

I liked the buildings on this short street in the East Village. The people seemed very familiar and at home here, with a friendliness which is otherwise absent in other parts of the city. You should go to Jules Bistro fr the pumpkin pancakes and for the quaint courtyard in the back ( I would love to go on a date here!) For nightlife, check out McSorley's and the Old Ale House.

St. Mark's Place is close to the following metro and is accessible to many buses. Foot traffic is moderate, and it is a good neighborhood for young people!!

St Marks is definitely overwrought with cheesy punk decor and teenager clientèle, but it is still a good place to find cheap japanese food. You will also find any film you could possibly think of renting at Mondo Kim's...and St Mark's bookstore is right around the corner. Jas Mart is a tiny little japanese market place that is good for getting dessert.

The people watching is good on St. Mark's as the hipsters flock to get CDs, DVDs, and everything media at Kim's. The street is lined with great Japanese restaurants, not all of which cater to the casual consumer of Japanese food. Mahmoun's also has a falafel place here, a bit bigger than their MacDougal location, but the food is still as cheap. Crazy fun times had by all.

St. Marks was a hip, if not a bit seedy, place to live 15 or 20 years ago. It was a beautiful blend of artists and Central European immigrants. The block had a true neighborhood, communal feel. These days, St. Marks is about high-priced boutiques, lousy bars, and college kids who are living on their mommy and daddy's dime.

Building stoops aren't blocked with old-timers writing in notebooks nowadays; rather, they're littered with the vomit of little brats who have decided to turn the block into their playground. They have no respect for history or aesthetic. Alphabet City is dead.